The other day I saw 'RNL 1' on a SUV in Poole, not altogether a surprise as they're based there; but the vehicle wasn't marked and the driver wasn't in uniform (or oilskins)....so if it isn't one of theirs and they wanted it, they'll be hacked off.

Saw a Mercedes today in Branksome Park, Poole with the number plate "500 DFX". Any ideas on who the Dorset based fan of turbocharged Cosworth Indy engines might be?

DFX was a local Bournemouth number, the main reason I know that is that I once owned DFX 99, though I don't remember attributing much significance to the letters at the time. I had that plate on a Ferrari 500 Superfast, no I'm lying, it was actually on a Chrysler Alpine bought new from Hartwell's in Bournemouth in 1978. I was given the registration, fairly ordinary combinations like that had little value at the time, probably only about £50 or so, and I passed it on when I swapped the Alpine for a Capri from Col. Ronnie Hoare's Ford dealership in Poole, though they always pretended to be in Bournemouth in adverts and on their letterheading. For some reason they thought that was a 'better' address, though they were actually several hundred yards on the wrong side of the county boundary. As I said, the plate had no great value, except maybe to someone with the initials DFX, and there can't be many of those. A friend suggested that I offered it to Chinese premier at the time Deng Xiaoping, though being a good communist, I doubt if he'd have been interested in such capitalist fripperies. Rob Walker had the only number I've ever wanted, RW 7, but the closest I've ever got to that was buying a Fiat 124 ST from one of his eponymous dealerships, Rob had the number on a magnificent dark Blue Facel Vega in those days.

Rob, thanks for the information and background. To be honest, I'd be pleasantly surprised (amazed!) if the holder has any relevance to the Indy Cosworth. Still, it was a nice diversion for a moment, and it is May after all.

Rob, thanks for the information and background. To be honest, I'd be pleasantly surprised (amazed!) if the holder has any relevance to the Indy Cosworth. Still, it was a nice diversion for a moment, and it is May after all.

When I put the image URL in, my picture appeared in the reply box. Then when I clicked POST, it wasn't there. I tried the edit function several times but it made no difference. This is by no means the first picture I've posted since the forum 'downgrade' but it's the first one that won't load.

When I put the image URL in, my picture appeared in the reply box. Then when I clicked POST, it wasn't there. I tried the edit function several times but it made no difference. This is by no means the first picture I've posted since the forum 'downgrade' but it's the first one that won't load.

I had exactly the same problem a couple of times last week, a post didn't work the first time, no pic. I tried again with the same result, an edit didn't help, so eventually I gave up. As Admiral of the Fleet David Richard Beatty might have said, "There seems to be something wrong with our bloody forum today".

If we all asked nicely, I wonder if they'd let us have the old TNF back? My sig line seems to be ever more apposite.